


by the bedside

by PrincessJaqulineChess1031



Category: Batman - All Media Types, Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-20
Updated: 2021-03-26
Packaged: 2021-03-29 01:35:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,382
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30148761
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PrincessJaqulineChess1031/pseuds/PrincessJaqulineChess1031
Summary: “À la claire fontaine,” a soft voice sung, pulling Damian out of his hazy daze. “M’en allant promener, j’ai trouvé l’eau si belle…”Damian groaned and tried to turn on his side, to try and reach whatever it was singing, but the moment he did, the song stopped and was replaced by a gasp. Damian blinked his eyes open, ignoring the sting, and saw sitting next to him was a disheveled and red-eyed Marinette sitting next to him.ONE-SHOT GALLERY FOR DAMINETTE/MARIBAT CONTENT
Relationships: Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug/Damian Wayne
Comments: 19
Kudos: 155





	1. Chapter 1

" _À la claire fontaine,"_ a soft voice sung, pulling Damian out of his hazy daze. " _M'en allant promener, j'ai trouvé l'eau si belle…"_

Damian groaned and tried to turn on his side, to try and reach whatever it was singing, but the moment he did, the song stopped and was replaced by a gasp. Damian blinked his eyes open, ignoring the sting, and saw sitting next to him was a disheveled and red-eyed Marinette sitting next to him.

"Damian….," she whispered. Damian tried to reach out a hand to her, but found that it felt like lead. Moving it felt like a splitting pain, and it was weighed down by a cast. Damian shut his eyes and leaned back into the pillow. The building, the explosion, and –

"Adrien?" Damian croaked. Marinette nodded her head and took the hand not enclosed in a cast in her hands. She gave it a gentle squeeze and smiled.

"He's fine," Marinette said. "He's doing damage control with your brother."

Ah, yes. Dick. Nightwing had come to Paris as one Dick Grayson, something to do with Wayne Enterprises or other, when he had realized what Damian was up to. Robin had become an unofficial third member of Paris's own dynamic duo, Ladybug and Chat Noir once all their allies identities were exposed. Hawkmoth was long gone, so it was just petty criminals and the like, but adding a fourth member to that so suddenly had thrown everything off. Even if it was for one mission. A bomb was missed, and now –

"How long was I out?" Damian asked. He narrowed his eyes and looked around and saw a familiar location had enveloped him. "And ho-how did we get to the Batcave?"

"Two days," Marinette said breathlessly. "And a Zeta tube."

Ah, Zeta. He should have known. Damage control probably meant making sure Paris still had someone patrolling and keeping it's citizens safe.

"Nightwing insisted we bring you back here," Marinette said. "Said you should be with family."

That meant it was touch and go for a moment. Damian felt unfrazzled by the brush with death, how many times had he had one since he was born? Not to mention he actually had died once. He looked down at Marinette's outfit, and saw she was wearing the same purple sundress she had been wearing before her transformation two days ago.

"H-have you been here the whole time?" Damian asked softly. Marinette looked down at her fingers sheepishly.

"I-I had to be sure," Marinette said. "When the Lucky Charm didn't work, and –" Marinette cut herself off with a chortle of tears. " _Ma moitié,_ I had to make sure you weren't dead."

Damian shut his eyes. This was what frazzled him. He knew in their line of work, one got hurt. Sometimes you didn't walk away. But to hurt Marinette, to make Marinette feel hopeless and lost as Damian fought on a hospital bed. Marinette was the one good, pure thing he had ever been able to keep, and to make her feel pain felt like a betrayal.

"You should have gone home," Damian said slowly. "I'm fine. Don't worry about me."

Marinette shook her head and squeezed his hand.

"If you expected me to do that, then you don't really know me."

Damian turned his head to the side, and tried to ignore the sharp burst of pain at the top of his back from the movement. But try as he might, he still winced. Marinette reached forward and put a hand on his shoulder to try and steady him again.

"Be still, _ma moitié,"_ Marinette said. "Monsieur Pennyworth said it was best for you to remain as you are."

Marinette was so polite, and despite Alfred's continued insistence, Marinette continued to call the man by his proper name. Damian found it was one of many adorable things about her to love.

" _Nawaret aynaya,"_ Damian said, "I promise I'm fine –"

"No you're not!" Marinette busted out. "You're hurt, you- you nearly died! All because I couldn't keep my team – I got distracted and –"

The young girl burst into tears, and Damian took his hand from her grasp and reached up to caress her cheek. Oh, Marinette. She always took ever mistake, every misstep, as some misgiving on her part. To Marinette, the safety of all Paris and all of her friends sat squarely on her shoulders. She might shoulder that responsibility with her brother Chat Noir, but Marinette would always hold it as a personal stake in her heart.

"It's not your fault, _nawaret aynaya,"_ Damian said softly. "This – this comes with the mask, you know that. If you had or had not been there, this would have happened eventually." He wiped away a tear form her cheek, and Marinette reached for the hand still caressing her. "I love you Marinette. And I know you would never hurt me. So stop blaming yourself."

Marinette gave a weak smile.

"If you expect me to stop just like that," she hiccupped, "then you don't really know me at all." She sucked in a deep breath and rubbed her thumb across his wrist.

"I love you too," she said. Damian's heart sang. For seventeen years he had waited for something and someone that would look at him and not see a monster. Not see an assassin or a danger or someone to fear. And by some miracle, that person turned out to be the love of his life.

And he'd be damned if he let her go.

"He's flatlining, I'm calling it," a voice said, breaking the moment around them. Damian retracted his hand and Marinette wiped away a last tear. In the doorway stood one Jason Todd, mask gone but still wearing spandex and his leather jacket. "Mari, time of death?"

Marinette bit her lip and looked down at her hands, but Damian could see the beginnings of a smile on her face. Jason stepped into the room and dragged a chair from the corner and sat down next to Marinette with a loud thud.

"Papa Bat should be here in a little bit, Brat Bat," Jason said. He took out his gun and began to fiddle with it, probably to clean it since he pulled out a white cloth from his pocket. Damian frowned.

"I'm not a brat," Damian said. Jason rolled his eyes.

"You might be seventeen, but you're still a brat sometimes," Jason said. Marinette looked up from her hands, that familiar mischief shining in her eyes.

"You're kinda. Sometimes," Marinette said softly. Jason laughed and slung an arm around the girl's shoulder.

"Ah! I got the girlfriend on my side!" Jason said. "I win!"

Normally Damian would keep going and insist he wasn't a brat, but Jason was as transparent as a plane of glass. Jason was trying to cheer up Marinette with this joke, and Damian was not going to try and ruin that. Marinette was going to be happy and not worry too much about Damian, that was his mission.

"What did you win?" Adrien asked, popping his head into the med bay. His blonde hair was still damp, meaning he probably just got out of a post-patrol shower. He came up behind his adopted sister and hugged her from behind, placing a kiss to her temple.

"Marinette admitted Damian was a brat sometimes," Jason said.

"I am not!"

"Yeah, you are," Adrien said. Tim and Dick entered the room, and Tim was texting someone on his phone. Probably Stephanie, telling her he was okay. Dick pulled a chair over to the other side of Damian's bed and leaned back, his long legs stretching out underneath the medical bed.

"Be nice to the injured child," Dick said. Damian frowned.

"I am not a child," Damian said. "I am the same age you were when you went solo, Grayson."

Dick raised a brow. "And? I was a child then, henceforth, you're a child now."

Damian furrowed his brow again and Marinette laughed softly, but once again he did not fight. If it made Marinette smile, it was worth it.

His father finally materialized, Alfred behind him. His father was as stoic as ever, his eyes steeled and guarded thanks to the new visitors to the Cave. Despite the Miraculous duo having been unofficial members of the Batfamily for a year and a half, Father still seemed opposed to giving them official membership. Damian wondered if it had anything to do with Marinette being his girlfriend. He hoped not.

"Master Damian," Alfred said, and a phantom smile overtook his professional form. "I see you are recovering well. I assume Miss Marinette has made sure you've stayed where you should?"

"He only woke up a little while ago, Monsieur," Marinette said. Her lips upturned wickedly. "The real problems in that regard have not started yet."

Adrien laughed and hugged his sister tighter.

"Trust me, mi'lady is here is plenty capable of keeping Damian in line."

Once upon a time, Damian had been jealous of Adrien's nickname for Marinette. Now Damian knew better. Adrien may have once been desperately in love with Marinette and Ladybug, but once one Kagami entered the picture it was game over. Now, the nickname was mere relic of that time and a testament to the depth of their bond.

"I expect nothing less," Alfred said. Father stood at the foot of his bed. He was still dressed in his suit, but his cowl was down, revealing his identity. That made Adrien and Marinette's lack of inclusion even more baffling – they knew who all of them were, the biggest secret they had.

"Are you alright Damian?" Father asked. Damian nodded.

"Yes Father," Damian said. A sigh of relief left his father's form. Despite medical evidence, after everything that happened with Jason, Father would never be certain of his kid's state until he heard from them exactly.

"Well, I mean, wasn't he just fighting with Jason?" Tim asked. He looked up from his phone. "Me and Dick heard them outside. If he's in a fighting mood, he's fine."

"I almost died, and you guys treat me this way," Damian said. Jason rolled his eyes.

"Shut up, this is how we show our love," Jason said. He eyes Dick. "Except for Dick. He does the whole normal shit. Damn well-adjusted asshole."

"Damn non-well-adjusted asshole," Dick shot back. Marinette giggled. Father turned to Marinette and Adrien.

"You two can stay here as long as you need, to make sure Damian is okay," Father said. Damian tried not to let his surprise be palpable. Marinette and Adrien were barely allowed in the Batcave half the time, now Father was offering to let them stay while Damian recovered? What had happened in the time he was asleep? "You can Zeta home for clothes, if you need them. But we have enough clothes that might fit you Adrien, and I'm sure Cass left some things behind before going to Hong Kong."

"Thank you, Monsieur Wayne," Adrien said for the both of them. Marinette smiled and then turned her attention back to Damian.

Damian for seventeen years wondered what it would be like to be purely loved.

Now he knew. It came from Marinette Dupain-Cheng, that kind of true love


	2. at the gala

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> suprise!

Damian Wayne had been trained since birth to notice his surroundings. To have an acute awareness of any threats and where they could be coming from. To always have his attention as evenly divided as possible, eyes scanning the room for threats at the same time he kept up conversations. A weapon within reach just in case. Before he was ten, this was a an always lethal test he was thrust into at all times. Kill or be killed. Die if you fail, survive if you win.

Even now, almost seven years since he left the care of his mother and the League of Assassins, that skill was one that had not waned. He was a full-time vigilante, after all, but their felt something cold about the way he still did things. Calculating how many people would die if he was forced to use his sword, who would be most likely to be shot due to be unwitting human shields. This was information he undertook with a calm sereness. It was nothing. An obstacle or pawn.

Still, he would suppose that this skill had it’s positives. It kept him from being duped than by his father’s business associates that were looking for in by talking to Damian, it made him aware if someone was touching all of the cheese (it happened more often than not, Damian had noted with disgust), and it let him skirt around girls his age that wanted to him use for his family’s money.

The best positive, however, was when he saw _her._ Damian had just been able to pull himself away from one of the board members of LexCorp, a company already he knew not to be trusted but had to be invited for appearances sake, when he got his first look at her.

She was petite, her head barely clocking the shoulder of her blond companion. Her eyes were a dark blue and had hair the color of the darkest hour of night, the strands pulled into a neat bun with two curled ringlets that spiraled in ringlets to frame her face. Her eyes popped against her red and gold ensemble; a red mermaid style dress that hugged her figure before jutting out by her knees, swirls of gold bursting out of a golden rose on her hip. Her eyes were alit with mirth as she took in the room around her and would turn to whisper to her blond date (?) with a jovial smile.

Simply put, she was gorgeous.

“Just gonna stare Romeo?” Damian was not startled – he did _not_ get startled – but he had not expected Todd to be beside him. “Shut your mouth, you’ll catch flies.”

Damian turned to his adoptive brother and frowned.

“I was not staring Todd,” Damian insisted. Todd scoffed and took a large swig from the glass of wine in his hand. Todd, while not at peace with the family, had finally settled in enough that he was here more often than not. He had to keep up appearances by using a fake name, but Damian could tell it brought his father some measure of joy to see his son here.

“Uh, yeah, you were,” Todd said simply. “I mean, she’s like super cute, so I get it, but you can’t just stare like a creeper.”

Damian shook his head. “I don’t remember –”

“Asking for my opinion? Well, you got it anyway,” Todd said. Todd sent a conspiratorial look in the direction of the girl and her date, and Damian felt his heart fall into his stomach. Oh no, no –

Todd took his elbow and dragged Damian over to where the duo was attempting to receive something to drink by the bar area. They did not look old enough to drink, but Damian supposed some people were older than they looked.

“Hello,” Todd said, puling them to a stop. The blond and raven turned to face them, the girl’s mouth forming into a surprised ‘o’. “I’m Henry George, and this is my friend Damian Wayne. I’m so sorry to interrupt you, but –”

The boy waved them off, smiling a million-dollar smile.

“It is alright,” the boy said, and Damian was surprised by the boy’s thick French accent. “My name is Adrien Agreste.” Ah, that would explain the French accent, and Damian realized who the boy was. Heir apparent of the Agreste fashion legacy, and a supermodel. Or former supermodel, he had not released prints in nearly two years. Not since his father’s mysterious death. “This is my sister, Marinette Dupain-Cheng.”

The girl smiled a demurer smile, but Damian’s heart skipped of its own accord. It was a rather cute smile.

“What can we help you with?”

Todd smiled a wicked smile and Damian decided that he did not he like where this was going.

“Actually, it’s what we can help you with,” Todd said. “You see, excuse my presumption, but I figured since you two were French, you might be able to help Damian.” Oh no. “You see, he’s been struggling in French class at school, and so I was wondering if you might help him with some finer tips of the language. I know this is a party but –”

“Nonsense,” Marinette said. She hugged her brother’s arm tighter. “Me and Adrien would be delighted to help.”

Damian heard a squeaking noise come from the direction of the young girl’s purse, but he was sure he must have been imagining things. Then again, with his vigilante history, he was not so certain.

“Excellent,” Jason said. He gave Damian a pat on the shoulder. “Now, I hate to drop my friend and run, but I believe I see an old friend of mine. I simply must say hi.”

And then he was gone, and Damian was left with the two of them.

“You really don’t have to –” he started, but Adrien shook his head. Marinette laughed under her breath.

“We’re not fools,” Adrien said gaily. “We know you probably do not help with French – as one of the heirs of Bruce Wayne you probably learned it in diapers.” Adrien did not know how correct he was, Damian noted to himself.

“So….what –”

“You think my sister is cute,” Adrien said simply. Marinette slapped her brother’s arm and frowned.

“Adrien, please –“

Adrien rolled his eyes. “What? Were you not just saying to me you thought he was cute?”

Marinette’s face colored pink and she looked down and away. Damian felt color rush to his own cheeks. 

“Adrien Agreste!” Marinette scolded. Adrien let go of his sister’s arm and stepped away.

“I’ll leave you two alone,” Adrien said simply, and then walked away. Marinette looked down and away from Damian, swirling whatever it was in her glass. Most likely some kind of non-alcoholic version of champagne. She was technically underage in America after all.

“Please excuse my brother,” Marinette said. She rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly. “He can be rather blunt when he wants to be.”

Damian smiled.

“I have three brothers,” Damian said. “I get it. My eldest brother is always pushing me to do uncomfortable things.” His eyes widened. “Not that this is uncomfortable or anything, it’s just –”

Marinette laughed and took a sip of her drink.

“I know what you meant, Monsieur Wayne,” Marinette said. Damian bit his lip and folded his hands behind his back to keep his finger twitching from being too noticeable.

“Damian,” Damian said. “You can just call me Damian.” Marinette’s face spread into warmth, and it had the desired effect on Damian who smiled in return.

“Call me Marinette,” Marinette said. Marinette tilted her head to the side curiously. She narrowed her eyes at his red tie and she frowned. “You wore the wrong tie.”

“What?”

Marinette just kept her narrowing her eyes with professional concentration.

“It’s red. You’re eyes are a greenish-blue – a soft blue, or even light purple would have been better,” Marinette said, as if it was most obvious thing in the world. “Would have matched your eyes better.”

Damian scrunched his brow and crossed his arms. Marinette shrugged and took another delicate sip.

“I’m a fashion designer,” Marinette said. “I notice these things.”

Wait? Fashion designer? Marinette Dupain-Cheng….MDC? This girl was MDC, the newest designer working under the Agreste label. Their were even rumors of her going solo in the near future, and what Damian had seen of her designs (in passing – fashion was not his forte) told him she would most likely flourish.

Damian had expected MDC to be an adult, someone old enough to at least drink legally and have their own health insurance in the US. Not a girl seemingly the same age as him.

“I’ll keep that in mind for the next party,” Damian said. Marinette smiled.

“I’ll have to make sure and see if I can snag an invite then,” Marinette said. “To see if you follow through with that.”

It was not that funny, but Damian still laughed anyway. Maybe it was the expectant look on her face to laugh that made him do it, and she looked so fragile that he had to laugh. A deep part of him did not want the girl in front of him to be hurt by him. He wondered what could have possibly triggered that.

“I should have known you were a designer,” Damian said. “What with your dress. It is beautiful. I take it you designed it yourself?”

Marinette’s cheeks reddened a soft, adorable pink.

“Oh, yes, I did,” Marinette said. “It’s a piece I was going to use for the spring line, until I got a…. how do you say it…. _Cerveau…faire exploser…._ brain blast. I realized it did not match my new theme of spring animals, so I discarded it from the line, but I still thought it was cute.”

“It’s beautiful,” Damian said. Marinette’s cheeks darkened from pink to red.

“Oh, uh, thank you,” Marinette said. Damian shuffled on his feet, unsure what to say next, and Marinette looked around awkwardly. Damian cleared his throat and held out a hand.

“Do-do you want to dance?” he asked. Damian was not much for dancing – he had been taught, he was heir to Batman and Ras Al Ghul after all, he was the best in near everything – but still, he wanted to dance with Marinette if only to have a reason to still stick around her.

Marinette blinked, and then set her drink down on a nearby table before taking his hand.

“Sure,” she said. They walked slowly to the middle of the floor, where a few others were dancing to the soft orchestral music that Father always played at these things. Marinette put one hand on his shoulder, and the other was still in his hand, which she gently led to be put to the side. Damian slowly and unsurely put one hand just above her hip and hoped that the tips of his ears weren’t red, which he suspected since they burned just a little.

Dancing Marinette was not a grand affair, it seemed she was fine mostly just swaying slightly to the music and spinning every once in a while, but it was nice regardless. The awkwardness of before was held at bay by the movement, but Damian still found trouble thinking of what to say. He didn’t have to, as Marinette volunteered herself to speak first.

“Have you lived in Gotham all your life?” Marinette asked.

“Since I was ten,” Damian said. “Before that I lived with my mother.” Damian figured it was best to leave out the time with his mother was spent being trained as a world-class assassin and heir to the most powerful and dangerous organization in the world. Grayson had informed him that was not proper party conversation.

“Do you like it here?” Marinette asked. Damian shrugged.

“It’s home, I guess,” Damian said. “Though I do miss my old home everyone in a while.” Eth Alth'eban was many things, home to a criminal organization, assassins, and all kinds of like-minded individuals. But it still had been where he was born and raised, there were times he missed watching the sunset from his bedroom window and even if she was not always the kindest or most loving, there were times he wished for his mother’s voice to come back to him, calling out for him to keep going. She was cruel at times, but still…. for a long time, Damian had not known any other type of love.

Marinette nodded sagely.

“I understand,” Marinette said. “Ever since me and Adrien moved here from Paris, we’ve been missing the old streets and stores and people we saw every day.” Damian could see in her eyes there was more to her story of leaving, but Damian was not going to push it. All he knew that she had left, not the how or the why. Now was not the time to confront someone over their reasons for doing things. Grayson had also told him that too was not proper party conversation.

“You and Adrien live in Gotham now?” Damian asked. Marinette nodded, and they twirled once before she smiled back at him and answered.

“Adrien wants to set up Agreste Fashion here in Gotham, so here we are,” Marinette said. “Wherever he goes, I follow.”

“You and your bother must be very close,” Damian said. Marinette’s eyes clouded with mischief and memory.

“You have no idea,” Marinette said. “Me and him are all the other has.” Damian could respect and understand that. Damian had learned the only people he could truly count on could be counted on his fingers. For those people, though he might complain and be a _slight_ brat the whole time about it, he would go to the ends of the Earth.

The song ended, and Marinette stepped away from him. Damian frowned, missing the feeling of Marinette’s warmth so close to him.

“My brother had most likely being annoying your guests for too long,” Marinette said playfully, “I have to go save them before he scares them away.”

Damian laughed and Marinette moved to turn away. Damian reached forward and grabbed her arm, and she turned back around, her mouth forming a slight ‘o’ in surprise.

“Uh, since you’re staying in Gotham, sometimes, would – uh – I mean –”

“I’d love to spend time with you,” Marinette finished for him. She fished a pen out of her purse, and Damian swore he saw movement of its own accord in her bag and took his hand in her hand. She scribbled her phone number on his palm and then put away the pen and stepped away.

“See you later, Damian.”

Damian felt a kind warmth shadow his form.

“See you later, Marinette.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Bible Verse:  
> "Pray without ceasing." -- 2 Thessalonians 5:17
> 
> This may turn into a one-shot gallery, IDK yet. What do y'all think?
> 
> I choose the city where the League is based on the New52 information I could find, but if it's incorrect I'll change it. 
> 
> Questions, comments, or concerns? Let me know, have a blessed day!  
> \--PrincessChess


	3. lullaby -- Twins AU

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> so we're officially a gallery now because I have no discipline or impulse control

“ _Dodo, l’enfant do, I’enfant dormira bien vite,”_ Marinette whispered in a sing-song tone, rocking the small child in her arms softly. Drool covered the shoulder of her Ladybug costume, but she could not bring herself to care. “ _Dodo, l’enfant do, l’enfant dormira bient_ _ôt.”_

Bahija made a soft, sleepy noise and lolled her head to the other side. Her dark green eyes peeked from under her lashes as she slowly succumbed to her slumber. Marinette hugged her daughter closer and kissed the top of her head lightly. Marinette could hear Damian whispering something in Arabic to Bahija’s twin Bastian, and she knew he was just as reluctant to leave for patrol as she was.

This was the first time since the twins were born both of them would be on patrol – for the past six months they had switched off weekly so that one of them could be around for the twins. But now, everyone else save Mar’i (the newest Robin) were needed for a bust on Joker gas production. Which meant that the three of them would be out on patrol, as Mar’i was the first Robin with powers, it would take a former Robin and a magical Ladybug to keep her from losing control.

But Marinette wondered if perhaps someone else – maybe Duke? – could go with her. The twins were so little, they needed their Maman and Baba here. If both went out… there was a chance both could be gone in a fatal swoop.

“ _Une poule blanche, est la dans la grange,”_ Marinette continued, and Bahija gave one final yawn and went to sleep. Marinette still did not release her daughter to her crib, instead, she kept a tight hold on her. For the moment she let go, it would be time to walk out of the room and leave her precious twins behind. “ _Qui va faire un petit coco, pour I’enfant, qui va faire dodo.”_

Damian walked up behind her, a sleeping Bastian curled in his arms and head turned deep into the crook of his arm. Damian placed a soft kiss on Marinette’s forehead and then rested his against hers, shutting his eyes and letting the both of them take in a quiet moment before the hell they were about to unleash on themselves came to light.

“ _Nawaret aynaya,_ it’s time to go,” Damian said. Marinette shook her head and wrapped both arms around her baby daughter.

“Just a few minutes more,” Marinette whispered. Damian sighed and stepped away from her.

“Marinette, we’ve put this off as long as we can,” Damian said. “It’s time. The others are waiting.”

Tears collected of their own accord, and Marinette tried her hardest to not let this moment end. The hot, salty tears stung and they fell slowly, painfully as the moment passed from beneath her.

“Let them wait,” she said. She kissed the top of her daughter’s head again, and then she reached forward and kissed her son’s forehead. Damian hugged Bastian tighter, almost giving in, but then stepped forward and put him in the crib. Marinette knew it was expected of her to know let go and step out of the room.

But she couldn’t. She just couldn’t. Not alone.

Damian held his arms out for Bahija, and Marinette hesitated for a long second that she willed to stop but didn’t. Marinette let herself choke out another sound but then slipped her daughter into Damian’s arms. Damian held Bahija for a moment, whispering something in Arabic, and then kissed her and laid her next to her brother in the crib.

Immedailty, Bastian reached out a sleepy hand and wrapped a fist over Bahija’s form, like an arm would protect his sister from the world. Marinette laughed sorrowfully and covered her mouth with her hand. Damian took her open hand and squeezed it.

“They’ll be fine, _nawaret aynaya,”_ Damian said into Marinette’s hair, kissing the very top of her head. “We knew this day was coming.”

“I did not expect it so soon,” Marinette said. “I-I-I…”

She shut her eyes. Was this how it was going to be every time both of them walked out of the door? Leaving behind two wonderful, perfect things to face having to fend for themselves? They would have their family here, their godfather Adrien, their grandfather, Monsieur Pennyworth, Dick – all of them. They knew what loss was like. They all did. They would build a home and a life for them.

But the very idea of being the thing to cause that pain for their children? The pain of loss? Marinette had been sixteen when Gabriel Agreste took her parents. She could not imagine living with that pain her whole life. No. She couldn’t. She wouldn’t.

She would fight. And her twins would never lose her, no matter what. Not until she was old and gray and had given them all she could.

Marinette straightened her back and stepped towards the crib. She reached in a hand, giving each of the twins one final caress.

“We have to fight for them now,” Marinette said. “No more being the hero, taking unnecessary risks. Everything we do, everything we attempt, we do it to protect them. To keep them safe.”

Damian nodded from next to her and squeezed her hand tightly. Damian let go of her hand and wrapped his arms around her.

“For them,” he intoned.

_I don't know why all the trees change in the fall  
But I know you're not scared of anything at all  
Don't know if Snow White's house is near or far away  
But I know I had the best day with you today_

“Maman! Baba!” Bahija ran into their room at top speed, their brother right behind them. The duo jumped onto Marinette and Damian’s bed, and Marinette rubbed at her eyes tiredly. The blurry form of her children came closer and closer as they climbed over the crumbled comforter.

Outside, it stormed and raged a terrible storm. Lightning would strike every other minute, sending in a bright, white light that would overtake their senses and rattle a thunder that tempted to take away their window.

Damian next to her came to full awareness too, much quicker than her due to his training from a baby. Bastian came right at Marinette and snuggled his head into her chest, wrapping his arms around her stomach. Bahija did likewise to Damian, both letting out soft sounds of fear in small whimpers.

“Shhh…” Marinette said, “It’s okay. Maman and Baba’s here.”

“We won’t let anything hurt you,” Damian said. He stroked their six-year-old daughter’s hair and kissed the top of her forehead. Marinette wrapped both of her arms around her son and rocked him the best she could in their position.

Another flash of lightning and then Bastian let out a shriek and buried his head deeper into Marinette’s shoulder as if Marinette had the power to banish a storm with a hug and a kiss. And though she could not make it go away, she would make it her job to protect him from it.

“It’s okay, _mes tr_ _ésors,”_ Marinette said. “The storm is outside, and we’re in here. And we’ll stay here, where we’ll be safe.”

Damian kept stroking Bahija’s hair and offering soft condolences in Arabic, which seemed to be soothing their eldest twin. Bastian gave another whimper, and Marinette brushed the hair out of her son’s eyes.

“ _Dodo, l’enfant do,”_ Marinette started softly. “ _L’enfant dormira bien vite, dodo, l’enfant do, l’enfant dormira bient_ _ôt.”_

Bastian stilled, and he looked up at his mother with teary, afraid eyes.

“I-I like that-that song, Maman,” Bastian whispered. Marinette smiled and kissed his temple.

“I used to sing it to you when you were a baby, _mon tr_ _ésor,”_ Marinette said. “When you were afraid.”

 _And when I was afraid too,_ Marinette added silently.

“Do you want me to keep singing?” Marinette asked. Bastian nodded and curled back into his mother again.

“ _Une poule blanche, est la dans la grange, qui va faire un petit coco…..”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hope y'all enjoyed it. 
> 
> middle portion are lyrics from "Change" by Taylor Swift.
> 
> I'm a Swifite, so y'all might see Taylor Swift pop up late. 
> 
> Chapter Bible Verse:  
> "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do." -- Ephesians 2:10.


	4. you matter to me

Damian knew something was up the minute he stepped into the hallway. Adrien and Marinette had taken up a new hallway, seeing that the rest of the family had taken up the rest of the Manor. Marinette’s door was open, and there was the soft sound of Adrien’s voice filtering out of it. There was a tense atmosphere that threatened to pop and envelop him in anger and sadness.

Damian walked to Marinette’s door and was surprised by what he found. Marinette was lying on her bed, a blanket pulled on her head and body so that unless you know she was there you couldn’t tell it was her. Adrien sat next to her, rubbing where her shoulder should be, and was whispering comforting words in French.

“ _Je suis l_ _à. Tout va bien. Elle n’est pas l_ _à,”_ Adrien whispered, and Damian’s ears perked up. Her? Which her wasn’t here?

“Marinette? Adrien?” Damian asked. Adrien looked up, but Marinette made no movement or sound of acknowledgment. Adrien’s face flooded with relief and he stood to meet him in the doorway. “Adrien, what’s going on?”

Adrien frowned and looked at Marinette over his shoulder, sorrow and hurt clouding his eyes.

“Alya found her online,” Adrien said. “Sent her a message, some kind of olive branch something or over.”

Alya. Marinette’s best friend once upon a time before she took the side of a liar over Marinette. From there it had been a toxic spiral of broken promises and missed hangouts because Lila needed this and Lila wanted to do that. Then came the fight to end all fights, where it came out just how much Lila was feeding to Alya about Marinette and how she believed Lila. Bully. Manipulator. Can’t be trusted. Liar. Hateful person.

All of that, on top of trying to defeat a supervillain and keep her platonic soulmate from falling under the pressure of his father being said supervillain. Alya had been the straw that broke the camel’s back, and when there was nothing left for Marinette and Adrien in Paris, they hadn’t thought twice about leaving the girl in the dust.

Damian nodded. “I got this.”

Adrien sucked in a breath and returned to his adopted sister.

“ _Damian est l_ _à. Mais, tu as besoin de moi ici aussi?”_ Adrien asked. Marinette’s head finally peeked out from beneath the blankets, and her red-rimmed eyes made Damian’s heartbreak. How could one girl do this much damage to Marinette? Kind, loving, loyal Marinette. Who wouldn’t hurt a fly even if it bit her?

She shook her head, and Adrien nodded. Adrien put a hand on Damian’s shoulder as he left, and the meaning was clear. Don’t make this worse. Don’t try to fix it, just let her be and listen. Adrien let go and left, and Damian swallowed thickly.

“ _Nawaret aynaya,”_ Damian started. He sat gently on the edge of her bed, and hesitantly put a hand on her shoulder. He rubbed it slowly, softly, unsure what to say. He wanted to fix this. He wanted to find Alya and tell her to never even think of talking to Marinette ever again. But Marinette was never one to let someone else fight her battles. Not even him.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Damian asked slowly, unsurely. Marinette shook her head again, but sat up, hugging her knees to her chest. She buried her eyes into her knees and Damian sighed. Damian reached forward and brought her into his arms, her head fitting perfectly into the spot it always did. He hugged her close, and Marinette buried her face into the cotton of his shirt.

Marinette cried for a long time. Shaking crying made Damian’s heartbreak a thousand times over and over again. He itched for his weapon, and his old ways of dealing with his enemies beckoned to him. Damian knew it was an overreaction. But this was his _nawaret aynaya._ And nothing and no one was allowed to hurt her.

Marinette eventually cried herself out, and they sat in silence for a long moment. Somewhere in that time, Damian had leaned back against the headboard with a pillow supporting his back. Marinette remained in his arms and had left a salty, small stain of tears on his gray t-shirt.

“I miss her,” she said softly after a moment. Damian rubbed her back soothingly.

“I know you do,” Damian said. Marinette would tell Damian all the time about the fun she used to have with her best friend. Picnics and parties and sleepovers, inside jokes and pranks and secrets. They had been thick as thieves, and Damian knew that kind of bond was hard to break. No matter what damage was done to it. Marinette had found new best friends in Jason and Cass, but they were not Alya. Alya was her first real best friend. And that friendship could never be replicated.

“Why wasn’t I good enough?” Marinette asked. She looked at him, and Damian caressed her face, thumb brushing the side of her cheek. “Why didn’t she believe me?”

“Lila told her what she wanted to hear,” Damian said. “Lila was charming and offered Alya a chance to know everything about everyone.” He kissed the top of her forehead. “It wasn’t fair. It isn’t fair.”

Marinette curled deeper into him; her tears finally fully shed.

“I don’t want her back in my life,” Marinette said. “But I-I still – I want _her._ I want what we once had. Back before Lila.”

Damian could understand that. He knew Thalia Al Ghul was a complicated being. One that fluctuated between good and bad depending on what suited her at the moment. He knew that his relationship with her was…. complicated at best, abusive at worse. But he missed her, in some weird way. A piece of Damian still loved her, no matter how much the rest of him didn’t want to see her.

“It’s okay to feel that way,” Damian said. “Nothing you feel is wrong.”

Marinette turned to look up at him, and Damian could see the thousands of emotions she felt in those sad eyes.

“My feelings never mattered to Alya,” Marinette said. She wiped at her eyes. “Not really.”

Damian smiled and kissed her temple.

“Well, they matter to me,” Damian said. “You matter to me, everything about you.”

Marinette reached for the hand still caressing her face and lead it away from his face. She placed it between them, a conjoined force linking them together. 

“I know.” She squeezed his hand. “You matter to me too, _ma moiti_ _é.”_

 _Ma moiti_ _é._ My other half. Damian was her other half, and he was hers. She would always matter to him. Ever since he first saw her on a ledge in Gotham, she had mattered in one or another.

“Do you want anything?”

Marinette shook her head.

“No, just for you to hold me.”

So he did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is not meant to hate on alya. i think she's not really a bad person, just stuck with THE PLOT DEMANDS IT SYNDROME.
> 
> hope y'all liked. it's kind of short, but I like it. 
> 
> questions, comments, or concerns? let me know! have a blessed day!  
> \--PrincessChess


	5. dance in the park

Marinette’s arm was hooked into the crook of Damian’s elbow, the soft spring breeze blowing her pigtails so that swayed just a little. Damian and she walked through the garden of Gotham’s city park. Marinette’s sketch pad was tucked under her arm in case she found something to inspire her, but for now, she was content to just walk with her boyfriend. 

Marinette reached out to skim her fingers along the edge of an azalea.

“They really are beautiful,” Marinette said. Damian smiled from next to her.

“Yes, they are,” Damian said. Damian reached to the bush to his right and picked off one of the azaleas and stuck it behind Marinette’s ear. Marinette colored red and turned away from him with a quiet thank you, and she felt her stomach twist. The pink in the flower matched the skirt of her dress and made her eyes pop even more than they usually did, making her appear like a beautiful doll come to life.

They kept walking onward, nothing but sweet, comfortable silence following them. No words were needed to be spoken between them. It was moments of these silences that Marinette knew and heard more about Damian was than when he told her. The way he smiled when the sun first appeared after a rainstorm, the crinkle of his brow and the way he bit his tongue when he was confused, and even the way he turned his head when someone grabbed his attention. It told her the real Damian, not the one he put up as a front.

Marinette breathed in the scent of the flowers. She knew her sinuses were going to be unkind to her later for daring to enjoy the smell of a flower, but for now, she didn’t care. The aromatic scent only highlighted the joy she felt to be here with Damian.

In the corner of the park was a small ice cream vendor, and upon catching Marinette’s piqued interest in it, Damian lead them over to where the man was smelling it. They ordered (strawberry, the only correct ice cream as far as Marinette was concerned) and sat down on a bench in the midst of the flowery walkway.

“In Paris, there’s a man who sells ice cream on the bridge of the Seine,” Marinette said, nibbling on her cone. “André. They say he’ll make an ice cream that is a perfect mixture of you and your soulmate.”

Damian raised a brow.

“Was he actually right?”

Marinette shrugged.

“Sometimes.” Marinette smiled fondly. “Once, he gave me, Kagami, and Adrien a choice. To choose between which combinations we thought were best.” Marinette still remembered that day. It was the day things started to go downhill very quickly. She became the Guardian, she gave up on Adrien forever, and all the responsibility of the world felt like it had fallen on her shoulders.

Still, she smiled when she thought of that moment. Kagami and Adrien were two of her closest friends still. And that was the moment that solidified how much she cared about them. Marinette would give up anything for her friends. Sometimes that was strength, sometimes that was a weakness. Marinette chooses to think of it as good quality.

“What do you guys pick?” Damian asked.

“Adrien and Kagami couldn’t decide,” Marinette said. “I picked for them – their combination. It was the best choice.” She smiled up at Damian. “Otherwise, I might not have found you.”

Damian blushed and looked away. “Oh.”

Marinette laughed.

“Did I just make the ever-stoic Damian Wayne blush?” Marinette said.

“Well, when my girlfriend says nice things about me, I’m going to blush,” Damian said. Marinette took a small lick of her ice cream cone, looking down and away mischievously.

It really was for the best Marinette let Adrien go that day. If not, she never would have gotten him as her brother. He was her family now, the thing she could always hold onto even in the darkest parts of her life. He was a light that helped her stumble through.

And Damian…If Marinette had never met Damian, oh, Marinette might not know what she would do. Damian was many things – grouchy, stoic, and a little bit of a brat at times, but he was also so much more. Fiercely loyal and protective, kind to those he loved, and determined to be and do the best he could, even when he failed in the endeavor.

Damian had been there when Marinette first moved to Gotham, and Robin had been there when Ladybug first spread her wings here. Without both of them, she might not have made it through the move. Ladybug may have never come out of her shell again.

“That must be why you don’t blush a lot,” Marinette said. “There’s just so much to make fun of, I never get the chance to be nice.” Damian laughed at her teasing.

“You wound me, _nawaret aynaya_ ,” Damian said. Marinette laughed and put her head on his shoulder, shutting in her eyes and taking in the sounds and smell of the days around her.

She wished she could freeze this moment. No more villains or Miracle Boxes. Just a girl and a boy on a bench, eating ice cream and looking at flowers. Marinette loved being Ladybug and being Guardian, but it was so so much pressure. And she knew the pressure of being Robin weighed down on Damian. Especially since he was getting older, and pressure was mounting for him to go solo and take on a new identity.

“I love you, _ma moiti_ _é,”_ Marinette said softly, barely above a whisper. Damian still heard her, as a moment later, he was repeating the sentiment back to her.

“I love you too.”

Marinette finished her ice cream cone and then stood, offering a hand to Damian and a smile.

“Dance with me,” Marinette said. Damian blinked up at her in confusion.

“What?” he asked. Marinette smiled and took his hand, pulling him to his feet. Damian was slightly startled, looking down at her in intense contemplation and confusion.

“Dance with me,” Marinette said. “I know there’s no music, but….”

Damian sighed, but did as Marinette asked. He placed his hands just a gentle hair above her hips, and Marinette slipped her hands around his neck. It wasn’t much of a dance, more of just swaying in a circular motion, but Marinette did not care. Nor did she care about the people who stared at them, all of whom looked at them like they were insane.

Marinette loved to dance with Damian, the feeling of his skin against hers, it made her feel alive. Made a moment feel like forever. And Marinette wanted this moment to be forever. To just be a normal couple in the park, making a complete fool of themselves because they were so in love.

That’s all she wanted, was it really so much to ask?

Marinette rested her head on his chest and closed her eyes, taking in the sweet smell of the flowers and the familiar smell of paper and salt that was Damian. There was a faint twinge of sweat in there, but it was not repellant, it was just Damian and Marinette did not mind it. Damian rested his head on top of Marinette’s, making Marinette feel compacted like she was being pulled into Damian and kept safe by just his touch.

Marinette did not know how long they stood there, just the two of them, it could have been minutes. It could have been forever. She didn’t know. If this was eternity, then let it be. If it was just a minute, let her hold on to that minute and keep it close to her heart.

Marinette started to hum after a moment, and it was an unintelligible song, one with no real beat or repetition. It was more of just a quiet hum of enjoyment, but Damian joined in with her, creating a soft symphony of hums for them to dance to.

A wave of warmth took hold of them, and Marinette curled closer into Damian’s chest. Damian laughed and kissed her temple.

“You’re a wonderful dancer, you know,” Damian said. Marinette swatted at his arm playfully and did not look up from where she had snuggled into his sweatshirt. It was nice in the sweatshirt. Not too loud, and the warmth of a man she loved shrouding her from the breeze.

“Shut up,” Marinette said. Damian chuckled, causing a rumbling under Marinette’s head. “This isn’t really dancing.”

They hadn’t really danced since the night they first met at the gala at Wayne Manor. This was just dancing in the loosest sense of the word, but it still felt like Marinette was flying and that her heart may explode with joy.

“Come on,” Damian said, finally stepping away from her. Marinette looked up at him with a pouty face, but Damian just shook his head. “Father is expecting us back in a half-hour. If we’re not, he’ll send a search party.”

“But I don’t want to go back,” Marinette said. “I want to stay here with you.”

Damian laughed. “We’re just going home. I promise we can dance more when we get there.”

Marinette sighed and picked up her sketchbook from the bench. She had intended to get some inspiration somewhere along the line today, but she preferred spending time with Damian more anyway.

“You promise?”

“Promise.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> questions, comments, or concerns? let me know! have a blessed day!  
> \--PrincessChess

**Author's Note:**

> Abrupt ending, but really, what'cha going to do? Sometimes a story just ends in a place and I have no control over it.
> 
> And I think Daminette is just a neat pairing, you know? Members of the Batfam might seem OOC, and I'm sorry about that. There's just so much content, I go by what I see the most and then condense the personalities based on the most common aspects because everyone writes them a little different.
> 
> Questions, comments, or concerns? Let me know! Have a blessed day.
> 
> -PrincessChess


End file.
